A federal judge denied the FTC’s request to block Meta from acquiring virtual-reality startup Within Unlimited.  According to sources, U.S. District Judge Edward Davila, in a sealed court decision, denied the FTC’s request for an injunction to block the deal. Meta announced its plans to acquire Within Unlimited in 2021. The ruling is a significant blow to the FTC as the federal agency aims to curb the dominance of big tech companies. The FTC could still try to block the acquisition through a separate lawsuit filed in its in-house administrative court. The trial for the suit is set to begin on Feb. 13. Judge Davila granted a temporary restraining order to prevent Meta from closing the transaction for another week, giving the federal regulator some time to determine its next steps. Meta and the FTC are locked in another antitrust case where the federal agency accuses Meta’s Facebook unit of abusing its monopoly position in social media.